The sun was setting fast as the bikes began the arduous climb out of the Sarlacc pit. The deep sand had levied a burdensome tax on the majority of the Tigers’ bearing surfaces. But they soldiered on, knowing that salvation would only come upon reaching the distant checkpoint. A journey that started weeks ago in the urban confines of Portland city limits had taken both riders, bikes, and gear to the very limits of endurance.
Here on this lonely dune, amidst the straining motor, rapidly dropping temperatures, and darkening skies, they learned to live again. This was Portland to Dakar, and it would take everything. www.RideIcon.com/PortlandToDakar
It was an ugly task that Team Icon laid at the feet of our Tiger 800s. To complete our ‘Portland to Dakar’ challenge, we asked the near impossible: miles of asphalt, vertical faces of rock, endless stretches of soft sand and deep snow, and more water landings than a Pacific campaign. The term dual-sport failed to even remotely describe our journey, which is why we chose the Tiger 800XC. The fully adjustable seat and bars, large operational range, and oversized generator for electrical auxiliaries made long miles in the saddle no problem, while serious off-road credentials such as a 21″ front wheel, muscular motor, stout suspension, and a burly frame delivered us from the aforementioned evils of our passage.
